Telecommunications service provider Jamii Telecom Limited (JTL) has obtained a full operating licence to roll out 4G mobile voice and data services across the country.
This follows a change in the Kenya Information and Communication Act, 1998 (KICA) that now allows local companies to pay for spectrum fees that exceed Sh1 billion in instalments.
Communications Authority of Kenya has confirmed that JTL, operators of the Faiba brand, has taken advantage of the new law and has since had its trial licence upgraded to a full operating licence.
“Jamii Telecom has already paid the first instalment and they are no longer on a trial licence,” said CA Director General Francis Wangusi.
In 2017 JTL, owned by businessman Joshua Chepkowony, was granted a one-year trial licence on the 700MHz spectrum for Sh100,000.
The decision raised a storm with other telecommunication service providers accusing the regulator of favouritism by giving out the licence without a public auction as is the practice and waiving the requisite Sh2.5 billion spectrum fees.
Last year the company applied to have the trial licence extended for another year to allow it to complete setting up its operations.
“They asked for an extension because it took time for them to be integrated to other operators and the extension runs until March 2019,” said Mr Wangusi at the time.
“If they do not pay the spectrum fees after that, then we shall consider withdrawing the licence.”
The amendment to KICA in the omnibus Miscellaneous Amendments Act, 2018 early this year, however, provided a leeway for JTL to easily graduate its trial licence.